A screenplay that is written by a person of color or the story is about people of color.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE

The Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards are presented by Independent Pictures, producers of the Ohio Independent Film Festival. The mission is to support and discover emerging screenwriters, and to encourage filmmaking in Ohio.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards features three different awards:
• Best Screenplay Award
• Best Northcoast Screenplay Award
(majority of the screenplay set in Northern Ohio), created to encourage filmmaking in Ohio
• Best Voice of Color Screenplay Award
(story that reflects people of color and/or written by a writer who is a person of color)
All judging is done on merit and quality of the work only. The first round of judging is by completed by Independent Pictures' readers; they choose the finalists for each award from the submissions.
The final round of judging is by area industry professionals. They choose the Best Screenplay, Best Northcoast Screenplay, and Best Voice of Color Screenplay from the finalists.

ORGANIZERS

Peter Balint (Executive Director)

GENERAL RULES

We must receive TWO copies of the completed screenplay (if submitting paper).

Award-winning screenplays will be announced in October 2013.

Criteria
Screenplay submissions must be:
• Complete (no works-in-progress)
• Original works
• Non-produced
• Non-optioned
• Feature length (generally 80-120 pages)
• No constraints on genre, content, year completed, country of origin, or subject matter
• Also, no residency constraints exist for submitting authors (i.e., the author does not have to be an Ohio resident)
• Script summaries, plays, short stories, and short film screenplays will not be considered.

CRITERIA

Contacts/Attachments (Any actors, producers, directors, or agents who have committed to or are involved with your submission. This is solely for our own purposes and will not influence the judging in any way.)
Attach additional pages if necessary

1. The undersigned author of the above screenplay hereby requests Independent Pictures (IP) to read and evaluate the above screenplay for its Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards, and if IP so chooses, IP may produce for one evening only an unstaged reading of said screenplay. I understand that IP has no obligation to read and evaluate said screenplay or to inform me of its evaluation, if any.

2. I understand that IP will refuse to accept or otherwise evaluate said screenplay in the absence of the acceptance by me of each and all of the provisions of this Release Form.

3. I represent and warrant that I am the author of the above screenplay; that I am the present and sole owner of all rights, title and interest in and to said screenplay; that I have the exclusive unconditional right and authority to submit said screenplay to IP upon the terms and conditions set forth herein; and that no third party is entitled to any payment or other consideration as a condition for the use of said screenplay as set forth herein. I will indemnify and save IP harmless from any and all claims, expenses, losses or liabilities that may be asserted against or incurred by IP at any time in connection with the use of said screenplay, including without limitation, those arising from any breach or alleged breach of the warranties and promises given by me herein, including reasonable attorneys fees and other costs incurred defending against the
same.

4. I retain all rights to submit this material to persons or entities other than IP.

5. I acknowledge that no fiduciary or confidential relationship now exists between IP and me, and I further acknowledge that no such relationships are between IP and me by reason of this Release Form or by reason of my submission to IP of said screenplay.

6. I acknowledge that IP receives numerous submissions of ideas, formats, stories, suggestions, screenplays and the like and that many such submissions heretofore or hereafter received by IP may be similar to or identical to this submission. I understand that I will not be entitled to any compensation because of the use by IP of any such similar or identical material.

7. I understand that submitting the screenplay to the Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards and/or the presentation of the screenplay to the public by IP will expose the screenplay to others and hereby specifically release IP from any and all liability, direct or indirect, resulting from the improper use by any other persons or entities of any similar ideas, formats, stories, suggestions and the like relating to said screenplay.

8. I have retained at least one copy of said screenplay and release IP from any and all liability for loss or other damage to copies of said screenplay submitted to IP hereunder.

9. This Release Form extends to IP, its agents, servants, employees, officers, directors, industry judges, major sponsors, sponsors, and volunteers, including all those associated with the Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards.

10. In the event of any dispute concerning said screenplay or concerning any claim of any kind or nature whatever, arising in connection with said screenplay or arising in connection with this Release Form, such dispute will be submitted to arbitration. Each party hereby waives any and all rights and benefits which s/he or it may otherwise have or be entitled to under the laws of any state or the United States of America to litigate any such dispute in court, it being the intentions of the parties to arbitrate all such disputes according to the provisions hereof. Either party may commence arbitration proceedings by giving the other party written notice thereof by registered mail and proceeding thereafter in accordance with the rules and procedures of the American Arbitration Association. The Arbitration shall be conducted in Cuyahoga County, State of Ohio, and shall be governed by and subject to the laws of the State of Ohio and the prevailing rules of the American Arbitration association. The arbitrators' award shall be final and binding and any court of competent jurisdiction may enforce a judgment upon the award.

11. I hereby acknowledge and agree that there are no prior or contemporaneous agreements, oral or otherwise, in effect between IP and me pertaining to said screenplay including, but not limited to, agreements pertaining to the submissions by me of any ideas, formats, plots, characters, or the like. I further agree that no other obligations exist or shall exist, or be deemed to exist unless and until a formal written agreement has been prepared and entered into by IP and me.

12. Should any provision or part of any provisions be void or unenforceable, such provision or part thereof shall be deemed omitted, and this Release Form with such provision or part thereof omitted, shall remain in full force and effect. This Release Form shall at all times be construed so as to carry out the purposes stated
herein.

13. The laws of the State of Ohio applicable to agreements executed and to be fully performed therein shall govern this Release Form.

14. I hereby state that I have read and understand this Release Form and that no oral representations of any kind have been made to me and that this Release Form states our entire understanding with reference to the subject matter hereof. Any modification or waiver of any of the provisions of this Release Form must be in writing and signed by both the undersigned and IP.